Day 76 (6/2): I’m in Seattle. Going home.

Seattle is ~75 miles away and I should be there tonight. As the day rolls on, I know I’m getting close to Puget Sound by the sheer number of towns and the steadily thickening traffic.

I’ve decided to pause the trip and return to New York. The decision has been brewing for a while as I’ve been increasintly needed back home. The second leg, Seattle-Prudhoe Bay, will be a piece of unfinished business for later. No regrets about not reaching Alaska in one shot. Seattle is a respectable 2/3 of the way there and getting here has been an unforgettable adventure.

To make this last day more memorable, I opt to avoid the urban jungle between Olympia and Seattle and instead will ride to the western shore of the Sound and take a ferry directly to the city.

Normally each day there’s somewhat of a need to rush to keep the trip on pace. Today is different. I want to stretch this last day as much as possible, so I take my time enjoying the scenery. The road gives me a parting gift: I come to a dip in the hills and am presented with a fantastic view of Mount Olympus. On the other hand, now that the decision to go home has been made, I’m eagerly anticipating seeing my family and friends.

The weather has cleared but yesterday’s rain has left Blue Pony covered in mud and it drives me nuts. Got to find a place to wash him before Seattle. First, my friends from business school, Jay and Tonia, have graciously agreed to host me at their place downtown and I don’t want to get it dirty. Also important: I’ll be getting a bike shop to ship the bike to New York and I’ve learned that if you give them a dirty bike, they may treat it with less care than it deserves.